Carton structure



May 18, 1965 Filed April 16. 1964 a jg ah H. E. FORBES, JR

CARTON STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

y 1965 H. E. FORBES, JR 3,134,135

CARTON STRUCTURE Filed April 16, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 0 3,184,136 CARTON STRUCTURE Hampton E. Forbes, Jr., Wilmington, DeL, assignor to West Virginia Pulp and Paper Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 366,399 3 Claims. (til. 229-14) This invention relates to improvements in positioning devices for packaging, and more particularly to an improved pre-assembled cushion device as an integral part of a carton. My invention is a folding carton made from a blank which may be shipped in a folded condition, easily assembled for use. The pre-assembled cushion device is automatically set up for use when the folding carton itself is assembled.

Prior art folding cartons have utilized many devices for positioning and cushioning the contents of the carton, one such device utilized triangular panels. A great disadvantage of the prior art cartons was the inability to ship them in a fiat condition. My invention permits the cushion device to be pre-assembled when the carton is manufactured, and to be easily erected when the folding carton is set up. The cushioning devices also serve to increase the resistance of the carton. When a packaged article is positioned within the supporting members the carton provides a strong and safe means for shipping and displaying fragile articles.

My invention provides for forming the cushion device as an integral part of a folding carton during its manufacture and it may be shipped in a flat folded condition and easily set up for use and providing that the cushion device is being formed automatically by the action of setting up the carton.

The possibility of modifications in the structure herein described without departing from the fundamental principals of the invention is recognized, and it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited except as set forth in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings FIG. 1 is a plan view of a. blank from which a carton of my invention may be constructed.

FIG. 2 illustrates the formation of a carton. The supporting members are folded over and onto their respective side wall panels.

FIG. 3 illustrates the completed blank in a flat folded condition.

FIG. 4 illustrates the erection of a carton from the folded blank. The supporting corner members are shown in their fiat, folded condition and also in their erected condition.

FIG. 5 illustrates a completely assembled blank with a packaged article. The apertures of the cushion device are in engagement with the packaged article.

FIG. 6 is a cross section of FIG. 5 taken along section 6-6. The second and third spacer panel apertures are shown engaged with the edge of a packaged article, in this case a pie.

A suitable blank of sheet material is cut, slit, and scored to form top panel 20, a pair of inner end flaps 2.4 and 26 foldably connected along opposite edges of top panel 20, a glue flap 22 is foldably connected along another edge of top panel 20, side panel 28 is foldably connected to top panel 26 along another edge thereof, top panel 20 has locking slits 76, 78, 80, 82, 84 and 86, the side panel 28 has a pair of cushion side flaps 41 and 43, cushion side fiap 41 has first spacer panel 58 foldably attached to side panel 28, second spacer panel 69 is foldably attached to first spacer panel 58, third spacer panel 62 is foldably attached to second spacer panel 60, a fastening panel 64 is foldably connected along an edge of third spacer panel 62, second and third spacer panels 64) and 62 have an aperture extending across the fold line connecting the two panels, similarly, panel 43 is foldably connected to another side of panel 28.

Cushion side flap 43 has first, second, third spacer panels 66, 68 and 7t)" and a fastening panel 72.

The side flap 43 has an aperture extending across second and third spacer panels 68 and "iii.

A bottom panel 30 is foldably connected along another edge of said panel 28.

The bottom panel 30 has a pair of outer flaps 32 and 34, outer flap 32 has locking tabs 74 and outer flap 34 has similar locking tabs 74.

A side panel as is foldably connected to bottom panel 38, side panel 36 has a pair of spacer members 37 and 39 foldably attached along a pair of opposite edges.

FIG. 2 shows the formation of the cushion devices. The side flaps 37, 39, 41 and 43 are folded over a fold line between the first and second panels, unto a portion of side flap 36. Similarly, side flaps 41 and 43 are folded into a porton of side panel 28. Fastening flaps 44, 52, 64 and 72 are fastened to their respective side panels by suitable means such as glue; the second and third fastening panels overlie the first panel and a portion of the side panel.

FIG. 3 shows the carton assembled for shipping from the point of manufacture. The tab 22 is folded over into the side panel 36 and fastened by suitable means to that panel. The carton is shipped to the user in a fiat condition using a minimum amount of space.

FIG. 4 shows the partially assembled carton. The top panel 20 is broken away to show the cushion devices. A cushion device can be erected easily by pushing the first spacer panel 63 to form a right angle to side wall 28 causing it to assume a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 5 shows all cushion devices, assembled about a packaged object. The top panel 20 is broken away to show the cushion devices in position.

FIG. 6 shows a cross section of FIG. 5 along line 6-6. The engagement of the packaged object into the apertures of second and third panels 58 and 7t) is clearly shown. It is understood that the position of the apertures is pro-determined by the height of the object to be packaged in relation to the carton dimensions. The preferred embodiment illustrates a packaged pie on a plate, and the aperture is placed to receive the rim of the pie plate. The carton is closed from one end after inserting a packaged article into the carton and assembling the cushion devices.

The carton is shown assembled for engaging the locking tabs at the top of the carton. It is evident that the carton could be turned upside down if the automatic machinery was designed for closing at the bottom.

The assembled cushion devices serve to position the packaged object, to protect it from touching the walls of the carton, and also act to brace the carton and prevent the walls from collapsing thus providing rigidity and resistance to stress.

What is claimed is:

1. A pre-assembled carton capable of being shipped fiat and erected on automatic machinery for holding articles in a pre-determined spaced relationship with respect to said carton comprising,

(a) a top panel,

(15) a fastening panel attached to one side of the top panel,

(c) a first side panel foldably attached to the other side of the top panel,

(d) a bottom panel foldably attached to the first side panel,

(e) a second side panel foldably attached to the bottom panel,

(f) a pair of end flaps foldably attached to the top panel, I t

(g) apair of end fiaps'foldably attached to the bottom panel,

(h) a pre-fastener cushion side flap foldably, at-- tached to at least one end of a side panel, each prefastened cushion side flap being capable of being folded fiat during shipment of the empty carton and forming a corner cushion device when the carton is erected for use, each pre-fastened cushion side flap comprising: 7

(1) a first spacer panel foldably attached to a side panel, (2) a second spacer panel foldably attached to the first spacer panel, ,(3) athird spacer panel foldably attached to the second spacer panel, (4) a fastening panel foldably attached to the third spacer panel and fastened to its respective side panel,

(b) a pair of parallel spaced side panels forming a first and a second side panel foldably attached to an edge of a top and bottom panel along opposite edges of each side panel,

(c) a pair of end flaps foldably attached to the top panel,

(d) a pair of end flaps foldably attached to the bottom panel,

(e) a side flap fold'ably attached to a least one end 7 of each side panel, each side flap comprising:

(1) a first spacer panel foldably attached to a side panel, (2) a second spacer panel foldably attached to the first spacer panel, (3) a third spacer panel foldably attached to the second spacer panel, (4) a fastening panel foldably attached to the third spacer panel and fastened to its respective side panel, (5) means in said second and third spacer panels for engaging the article to be packaged.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,709,023 5/55 Ritchie 229-446 FGREIGN PATENTS 98,177 6/61' N orway.

FRANKLIN T. GARRETT, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N06 3,184,136 May 18, 1965 Hampton E. Forbes, Jr.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 9, for "said" read side column 3, line 5, for "pre-fastener" read pre-fastened Signed and sealed this 28th day of September 1965.

(SEAL) Atlcst:

ERNEST W, SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. A PRE-ASSEMBLED CARTON CAPABLE OF BEING SHIPPED FLAT AND ERECTED ON AUTOMATIC MACHINERY FOR HOLDING ARTICLES IN A PRE-DETERMINED SPACED RELATIONSHIP WITH RESPECT TO SAID CARTON COMPRISING, (A) A TOP PANEL, (B) A FASTENING PANEL ATTACHED TO ONE SIDE OF THE TOP PANEL, (C) A FIRST SIDE PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TOP PANEL, (D) A BOTTOM PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE FIRST SIDE PANEL, (E) A SECOND SIDE PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM PANEL, (F) A PAIR OF END FLAPS FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE TOP PANEL, (G) A PAIR OF END FLAPS FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM PANEL, (H) A PRE-FASTENER CUSHION SIDE FLAP FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO AT LEAST ONE END OF A SIDE PANEL, EACH PREFASTENED CUSHION SIDE FLAP BEING CAPABLE OF BEING FOLDED FLAT DURING SHIPMENT OF THE EMPTY CARTON AND FORMING A CORNER CUSHION DEVICE WHEN THE CARTON IS ERECTED FOR USE, EACH PRE-FASTENED CUSHION SIDE FLAP COMPRISING; (1) A FIRST SPACER PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO A SIDE PANEL, (2) A SECOND SPACER PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE FIRST SPACER PANEL, (3) A THIRD SPACER PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE SECOND SPACER PANEL, (4) A FASTENING PANEL FOLDABLY ATTACHED TO THE THIRD SPACER PANEL AND FASTENED TO ITS RESPECTIVE SIDE PANEL, (5) MEANS IN SAID SECOND AND THIRD SPACER PANELS FOR ENGAGING THE ARTICLE TO BE PACKAGED. 